Raisin squares like Grandma made

Published 5:53 pm Monday, June 28, 2010

As sometimes happily happens, while Forum cooks are busily gathering a favorite recipe in answer to a request, they run across another favorite. And take the time and trouble to copy it off, too, by hand or machine.

Such is the case today, as we start with this special recipe shared by Saundra Cope of Everett.

“My Iowa grandmother made these raisin squares,’’ she says. “They could be the recipe your reader was looking for, as the recipe is old enough that it called for lard and the baking temperature was originally listed as a ‘moderately’ hot oven.’’

And Fran Brown of Marysville antes up with a fig-raisin combo, and tells us, “I found a recipe in an old 1939 Searchlight recipe book.’’

Incidentally, Fran also ran across a sour cream and raisin cake recipe, snapped up with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, but we may be able to get to that one another day.

Iowa grandmother Flossie May’s raisin squares

1 1/2cups sugar

1cup shortening, Crisco preferred

3 1/2cups flour

1teaspoon each baking soda and cinnamon

2cups raisins cooked in 1 1/2 cups water (reserve 1 cup liquid)

Icing (recipe follows)

Cream the sugar and shortening. Mix in the eggs. Alternately mix in the flour (with soda and cinnamon aded) and the reserved raisin water. Mix in raisins.

Spread in a greased cookie sheet with sides. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, approximately.

Make the icing. While the raisin squares are still warm, spread the frosting over. Cut in squares when completely cooled.

Icing

2cups powdered sugar

1/2cup butter, at room temperature

Cream powdered sugar and room temperature butter together. While the raisin squares are still warm, spread the frosting over. Cut in squares when completely cooled.

Fig raisin cake

1cup chopped figs

1cup raisins

1cup boiling water

1/2cup shortening

1cup brown sugar

2teaspoons baking powder

2teaspoons cinnamon

1/4teaspoon salt

2eggs, well beaten

2cups flour

Pour boiling water over raisins and figs and allow to stand while preparing other ingredients. Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs.

Sift flour, measure and sift with baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add alternately with fruit mixture to creamed sugar and shortening. Beat thoroughly. Pour into well-oiled loaf pan. Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) about 40 minutes.

The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Good Life section.